Library

Guide providing minimum design and construction requirements for storm shelters that provide a safe refuge from storms that produce high winds, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

Report summarizing the wind-resistant provisions of the 2015 edition of the International Building Code.

Website reporting efficiencies for dehumidifiers, room air conditioners, and room air cleaners that are tested by independent laboratories and reported by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

Report describing the experience gained from AIA’s Disaster Assistance Program with first-hand accounts of disaster response and recovery, case studies and other best practices, including approaches to designing buildings to be more adaptable to uncertainty.

A report that evaluates the force it takes to crack stucco of various thicknesses.

View the APSP/ANSI Standards and codes below to get information about ANSI specifications for pools, spa and hot tubs.

FEMA risk management series guide on hospital safety and resilience to natural disasters.

Report providing information on ways to incentivize funding of hazard mitigation programs.

ASHRAE Q&A addressing HVAC filtration and disinfection for reducing the spread of COVID-19.

A fact sheet on how to prepare for a natural disaster by storing food and water through an emergency food supply.

Website article touring areas hit hardest by tornadoes to see how they are building differently to protect against the next big twister.

Article describing considerations for choosing a room-level air cleaner to improve indoor air quality.

NOAA webpage providing images and short descriptions of different types of hurricane shutters.

An impact test report from projectile missile tests against brick veneer, verifying that brick veneers perform well to resisting hurricane force wind driven debris.

Information sheet about efficiency and health benefits of MERV filters.

Report providing a resource that communities can use to identify and evaluate a range of potential mitigation actions for reducing risk to natural hazards and disasters.

Website containing USGS-related publications related to natural hazards.

A fact sheet educating the public on the potential hazards and safe use of portable generators.

American Lung Association web page providing information on particulate matter and indoor air quality.

Website providing guidance on how to reduce the risk of damage to a home from hail.

Database describing FEMA preparedness webinars including natural hazard preparedness.

Fact sheet describing how to prepare for a natural disaster and assemble a disaster supply kit.

Website with information about radon-resistant construction techniques and other radon resources for builders, contractors and homebuyers.

A fact sheet providing tips on how to assemble a kit of food, water and other disaster supplies in the event of an emergency.

A free tool used to calculate the required minimum flow rate of dwelling-unit ventilation.

Report providing guidance on indoor air quality in single-family and multifamily housing for designers, builders, property managers, homeowners, buyers, and renters.

Report describing the testing of various siding materials for their ability to resist bullets from small firearms.

Fact sheet describing how to install bracing to retrofit roof dormers for increased wind resistance.

Article from the Institute of Biological Engineering describing reverse osmosis water softeners.

FEMA information on safe room funding to regional governments.

Report covering the planning, design, construction, and operation of residential and community safe rooms. Written for architects, engineers, building officials, local officials and emergency managers, and prospective safe room owners and operators.

Proposed HVAC filter labeling standard and underlying analysis by the California Energy Commission.

Standard that defines the roles of and minimum requirements for mechanical and natural ventilation systems and the building envelope intended to provide acceptable indoor air quality in low-rise residential buildings; published in the year 2019, and is available for preview and purchase at the...

Standard that describes the minimum requirements for residential buildings to achieve acceptable indoor air quality via dwelling-unit ventilation, local mechanical exhaust, and source control. This version of the standard was published in the year 2022, and is available for preview and purchase at...

Standard 680 establishes definitions, classifications, test requirements, data requirements, ratings, operating requirements, marking and nameplate data and conformance conditions for residential air filter equipment.

Article describing suggested food supplies, sanitation, safety, and cooking for during and after an emergency.

Report presenting safe room designs and showing the homeowner and builder/contractor or local design professional how to construct a safe room for a home or small business.

Projectile missile testing of various wall panel configuration to understand how the different wall constructions would perform when struck with wind driven debris from a hurricane.

Brochure describing HVAC filter options for efficiency and IAQ.

Website providing guidance for people to find and use tools, information, and subject matter expertise to build climate resilience.

NAFA’s user guide for understanding ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 52.2-2012.

Article describing how adhesives can be used to make homes in high-wind locations stronger and how adhesives could be too effective resulting in overloading foundation anchors under earthquake loads.

A review on the knowledge about ventilated wall claddings from field performance and hydrothermal modeling.

Report describing filtration, distillation, and disinfection methods of water treatment.

Article describing different types of water softeners and how they work.

EPA coronavirus Q&A discussing the role of HVAC filters in dealing with COVID-19.

A heat map showing the average number of tornadoes per year across the United States

Article describing the impacts of wildfire smoke on indoor air quality and some ways ASHRAE is responding.

Article discussing structural and nonstructural building components and illustrates a variety of wind-induced damages, including wind-driven rain infiltration.